Job Discussion Forums

[Happy Everyday]

You're not seriously suggesting that we should be funny in class, are you?

[mat chen]

Teaching in English in China is no laughing matter.

[Silent Shadow]

[Happy Everyday]

All puns aside, as long as you know how to teach for a specific class, you'll be ok. Perosnally, I love performing. I get to develop character and presence, not just spout out knowledge and give assignments. Don't misunderstand, those things took a lot of time to refine too.

Anyone attend or watch TED ? It's an excellent example of using modern multi-media, personality, and knowledge to teach. But if you want to be old-school fuddy-duddy, then be my guest, you humorless dark soul from a land time forgot.

But seriously, have you seen the CT photos on the website for Beijing Film Academy and the Drama Institute? They've got professional headshots. But... there's something different. They're *probably* well trained in traditional Chinese acting (i.e. opera). So, their photos sometimes look modern in all aspects, except they're not smiling. In fact, they've got that really ticked off look they'd have when performing in Chinese opera. Their onstage personae is in the headshot!

[DosEquisX]

As an interesting note, students have been filing complaints to the dean against a teacher at my school for being "too serious" in the classroom.

He has been on the staff for more than a year. So long as you're teaching then apparently you are okay at my school.

So yeah, students won't like a serious foreigner-taught class. Showing a little personality helps things a bunch.

[Guerciotti]

One of my classes complained to the dean. I gave them more work to do. Maybe I reacted badly.

[Happy Everyday]

It sounds like a popular trend to complain about FT being "too serious."
Students would NEVER NEVER dare to say that to a CT, let alone complain about it to the school. Something is wrong with this picture.

It sounds like the situation is somewhat centralized. Students have the right to complain about a teacher being too serious? Since when? Personality is useful but not a requirement for teaching, not in China nor in other countries.

The students in China are similar to the students anywhere else. If you want to complain about a teacher with classmates, that's understandable. Who in the world *complains* about a dry teacher to administration? This is happening throughout China? It is being allowed or encouraged. The students have been told that they are allowed to complain about their FT being too serious (or other things). They have no right to do that about CT. They would fear punishment (e.g. grades or some problems from the teacher). We can ascertain that the students have been told that it's OK to do this to FT without consequence. Therefore, they do. The fact that it is happening in different regions suggests the centralized nature of it.

Can you imagine Chinese teachers being subjected to this in your country? Unthinkable.

I have many Chinese friends, and none would dare to do this to their teachers. My personal opinion is that it is not just a centralized "rule" allowing such criticism-- it is being encouraged. It may be some weird reaction to western criticisms of China. 'They criticised us in the press? We've got some of them right here! We'll only allow them to be teachers. Let's show em who's boss and criticise them.'

[Riviello]

It's the nature of the beast. Foreign staff are thought of as second class, in my opinion. The students generally see our classes as a break from their boring Chinese teachers and expect to be entertained.

Plenty of people type on here about how they give homework etc... and their students are wonderful. Perhaps that is so, but I think it depends on who and where you teach. If you have been assigned English majors, then homework is fine. If you see a group of students every week for a year and then perhaps a few prepare out of class presentations shouldn't be a problem. But, if you see groups of 60+ "young adults" once every 2 weeks for 1 semester, forget about it.

I usually begin each class with a brief Review of what we did in the last class, 2 weeks ago, 99% don't remember.

Typing about complaints, a few weeks ago I went to a class of China's future finest that had 67 people in it. Perhaps 40 came. Of those 40 less than 20 brought the handouts I prepared for them that we would use in class.

I have a few extra and gave 1 to a pair of "young men" and asked them to stand in front of the class and just read something. They looked at me with blank stares. Eventually, one was able to mutter NO. I then asked a few other pairs and the same thing happened. The students I have just want to listen, like they've been trained to do in their other classes. I became a bit upset and told them what this class was about and said that since no one wanted to try I was leaving. I did. They then wrote lies about me on Weibo.

2 weeks later most of the other classes were aware of what happened. I began those classes with a short speech trying to encourage them to try. I reiterated the need to bring the handouts (again less than half bring them to class).

Since I'm a nice guy, I tell them that if they want to sleep or read a different book, do it in the back, not in the front where I can see them. I noticed a girl, without the handouts, reading a Chinese book. I asked her to close it and she just looked at me blankly. I then closed it for her. A few minutes later she was reading it again. I told her that if she wanted to read in class to move to the back or go to the library. Again a blank look. I then tossed her book into the hall. Eventually she left the classroom.

1 hour or so later she called me a spoke in Chinese. She then sent me a text message in Chinese. Soon, her friend was able to ask where was I? 10 minutes later the reader and her friends came to me and demanded that 1. I speak Chinese and 2. that I apologize for throwing her book in the hall. I said NO.

Lo and behold, she reported me to the school. Fortunately, the next day a school leader, over the Dean, observed my class from outside where the kids couldn't see him. He then left and returned with another leader. I was surprised when they walked into class and closed the books of those not paying attention.

I must be a terrible teacher or the students at this dispensary aren't stellar. I'll go with option 2.

As for being serious - it depends on the level of the school and students, in my opinion.

[Happy Everyday]

>They then wrote lies about me on Weibo.

What did they write?

FWIW, being serious or silly or whatever is your choice.

[choudoufu]

i don't know what i'm doing wrong.

i ask my students, no...i beg my students to complain.
oh, no, they all say they looooove my class.
but they don't study, so maybe it's merely infatuation.

if my class is boring, uninteresting, too serious, too silly,
too whatever, i want to know.

i leave a small box on my desk during break for the students
to leave anonymous comments. so far all i've gotten is
one jiao.

[Non Sequitur]

The unreality stops you in your tracks sometimes.
As posted elsewhere I have class songs.
One girl came to me and said 'We should sing XXXX'
I said 'I don't know that song'
Girl: 'It's a Chinese pop song. It's very popular'.
Me: 'But this is an oral English class. What use is it to sing in Chinese?'
Little Miss looked at me as if I had grown another head and walked off.
To this day - this was in 09, I cannot fathom what the thought process was.

[Riviello]

I experienced something "better" NS.

I like to assign one Group Project in which the students need to prepare something as homework and then present it to the class. It is considered part of the grade/mid-term. I generally just speak 2-to-1 with them as the Final.

Last semester a group came in and danced!!! NS, at least your students wanted to move their mouths.

For the record, this is the 4th university/college that I've taught at in China. I am doing the same things with these students who weren't accepted to a good Private college, let alone a bad Public university. I know that is the reason.

Either way, I have never experienced these problems across the board. Sure, some past students were better than others, but at least everyone tried.

Now, I really don't care and am just counting the days. 67 to go.

On a more positive note, just 32 days of class, 7 of which I consider "Free Talk" and tell the kids that they don't need to attend, but I'll be in class if they want to chat. Ideally, I fill out all of the "grade" sheets then and can be on my merry way 7/1.

[Riviello]

As for the lies about me on Weibo - someone wrote that I became angry, yelled, said they were crap, and argued with the class before slamming the door when I left.

A more accurate description would have been that I became upset that less than half the 60+ students attended class and that of those there, less than half of them brought the handouts that I spent a considerably amount of time preparing for their use in class. I then spoke to them in a stern voice and told them that if all they wanted to do was sleep or read a Chinese book then they didn't have to come to class. Then I left class.

What I find most interesting about the lies is that 1)most of them don't understand a word I say, so why type that I said they were crap and even better, 2) I argued with them!!

The way I see it, in order for an argument to take place, 2 or more people exchange words. Since none of the kids can make a complete sentence, how could we argue?

[Non Sequitur]

Danced! In an oral English test!
OMG that's rich!

[Happy Everyday]

I've danced as part of the class. Try to get them into talking about culture.